


Melting Tony Stark's Heart With A Kitten

by lilnaugrim



Category: The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: M/M, Pets, Superfamily, Superhusbands, pet death, stray cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-15
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:04:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five year old Peter brings home a stray kitten and Tony objects to the cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melting Tony Stark's Heart With A Kitten

                Peter was five years old when he brought home a little surprise to his fathers.

  "Daddy! Papa!" Peter ran into the house after Happy brought him home from Kindergarten. Steve was the first to greet his son; Tony was making his way up from his workshop looking sleepy.

  "Can we keep it Papa?" Peter's big round brown eyes pleaded his father as Steve knelt by his son to see what he had.

  "Tony, come here," Steve shouted in his direction and Tony grumpily came into the foyer.

  "What?" Tony snapped trying to get into the kitchen for some coffee or some sort of sustenance.

  "Just…come here," Steve was patient with his husband but Tony really didn't want to be bothered right now. He humored Steve and went by his side and what he saw in Steve's hand made his eyes go wide.

  "Oh no, no, no, no! We are not having any cats running around this house!" Tony pointed at the kitten sitting contently in Steve's large hand.

  "Tony," Steve lightly scolded, "let's make a deal then." Steve turned to Peter who was looking like a malnourished puppy was just kicked. "Peter your father is pretty tired right now and not thinking straight so I want you to take care of the kitten tonight and in the morning we'll make a decision, okay?" Steve ran his fingers through Peter's hair after he nodded and took the kitten back. The kitten barely mewed when handed over to less experienced hands.

  "Tony go ahead and get your coffee, I'll talk with you later," Steve directed the infuriated genius who obeyed. "Come on, let's go make the kitten comfortable in your room," Steve took his sons hand and they ascended the flight of stairs to the bedrooms. They entered the small room that was next to Steve and Tony's, it was decorated with bug and spider toys. The walls were painted royal blue with white ceilings and a hardwood floor.

  "Can we keep it papa?" Peter's little voice filled the room quickly when Steve had shut his door. Steve went to work finding a box and a small blanket to fill the insides with.

  "Of course, I'll make daddy see it will be good for you," Steve smiled when Peter's face lit up. Peter was still holding the kitten delicately in his hands and stroking the black and browned furred creature. "Here, put him in here," Steve put the box next to Peter's bed and Peter did as his father asked. "Have you thought of a name?" Steve asked.

  "Blaze!" Peter exclaimed and Steve chuckled.

  "What if it's a girl?" he asked and Peter's face scrunched up.

  "It's not a girl! Girls are gross and they always pull at my hair and call me names!" Peter folded his arms now that the kitten was placed in the box.

  "What kind of names do they call you?" Steve asked, amused that girls were already chasing his son and he wasn't even out of Kindergarten.

  "Well…they call me Pete mostly but…there's one girl who says I'm…cute," Peter was blushing and it melted Steve's heart as he smiled at his son.

  "One day you'll like being called cute," Steve chuckled.

  "Papa it's not funny!" Peter pouted, Steve could barely contain his smile after that one but he tried very hard for the sake of his son.

  "I'm sorry, you're right it's not. Here let's go get some milk for the kitten, I know it's not good for him but a little can't hurt," Steve stood back up and took his sons hand again as Peter smiled.

\--

  "Steve we are not keeping that thing here!" Tony argued later in the evening after Peter had finished his coloring exercises and was getting ready for bed.

  "Tony we'll talk about this later, after Peter goes to b-e-d," Steve said firmly as he helped Peter brush his teeth. Peter looked up innocently at his dad and Tony sighed as he leaned against the door frame to the bathroom waiting for Steve.

                When Steve was finished with the bathroom he directed both son and husband to Peter's room as Peter crawled into bed hugging his Iron Man plushie. Tony smiled until he caught sight of the kitten who was now trying to escape its confines.

  "Goodnight Peter," Steve swooped down to kiss his son's forehead and smile at him.

  "G'night Papa," Peter said sleepily. It was Tony's turn and he took his eyes off the kitten to smile at his son.

  "Goodnight cuddle bug," Tony whispered to Peter who smiled but squirmed against his dad's kiss.

  "I love you daddy," Peter said and Tony laughed.

  "I know exactly what you're up to mister and it's not going to work on me!" Tony pointed and Peter pouted, "but I love you too Petey," Tony leaned back down to kiss his cheek and smile into his son's sleepy eyes. He pulled the quilt a little higher and gave the Iron Man plushie a little pat and stood back up. Steve never got tired of seeing Tony interact with their son at bedtime, it was always so precious.

  "Come on," Steve said quietly linking his hand with Tony's to bring him outside Peter's room. Steve gave one last look to their already sleeping son and shut the light out and shut the door mostly. The arc reactor shaped nightlight lit most of Peter's room and shone through the crack of his door.

  "Have I ever told you your ass looks great in those jeans?" Tony slapped Steve's clothed ass and Steve shot him a glance.

  "Tony not here and not right now," Steve moved to their bedroom and went in to get undressed.

  "You're serious about this kitten thing aren't you?" Tony asked following.

  "Yes I am, it would be good for him. It would teach him some responsibility and he needs a companion. Did you never have any pets when you grew up?" Steve asked already knowing half the answer.

  "Well no, dad would have never allowed that but that's why I built Dummy," Tony shrugged.

  "And there you go," Steve motioned to him as he stripped his shirt off, "you built Dummy and he's found a kitten," Steve said and Tony sighed.

  "It's not the same thing Steve, Dummy is a robot; it doesn't poop or pee or need to be fed. This kitten will have to have all those damn shots and we'll need to buy food for it all the time and fuck…get it spayed. This kitten could have worms for all we know! She was a stray! And are you prepared to give Peter the speech if she happens to drop off one night and not inform us first? There are so many things that could go wrong with this and I don't want to be the one to deal with them!" Tony was rambling as Steve finished getting undressed and pulled up his sweatpants.

  "Tony stop," Steve rested his hands on Tony's biceps and made him look at him. "At first yes, we'll have to do all those things until Peter gets a little older and can do it himself. We can get the food and the shots but it will be Peter's responsibility to feed it and gave it water," Steve moved to caressing Tony's cheek and neck.

  "Steve," Tony made an irritated noise in the back of his throat, Steve knew he had won but he wanted to hear it from Tony just to make sure. Steve leaned to gently kiss Tony's lips and suck on his bottom lip.

  "Tony, please for Peter's sake," Steve whispered and took baby steps forward so his body was pressed against Tony's.

  "Fine," Tony gave in; he wrapped his arms around Steve and let his head rest in the nook of his neck and shoulder. Steve smiled and held his husband tightly.

  "Just for that you get a little extra something tonight," Steve whispered making Tony shake.

  "Fuck if I knew I was going to get obligatory sex after I agreed I would have done it earlier!" Tony exclaimed and Steve lightly scolded him.

\--

  "Do it get to keep it Papa? Do I?" Peter bounced in his room in the morning when Steve had woken him for school. Steve smiled.

  "Yes, yes you get to keep it. After school we'll take it to the vet to make sure he isn't sick," Steve said and Peter wrapped his arms around Steve's waist and buried his head in Steve's pants. Steve might have once been embarrassed to be having a child press his head to his crotch after Tony had given him a blowjob only a few hours earlier. But he knew Peter was innocent and didn't know anything about those things so he reminded himself to think as a child would and with Peter's height it was hard not to hit his crotch in a hug.

  "Thank you papa!" Peter's voice was light and it made Steve proud.

\--

                Peter was anxious to get home to his new friend and ran from the car and into the mansion where Steve already had the kitten prepped to take the trip to the vet.

  "Is he okay?" Peter peered into the small cat carrier with worry. The kitten was mewing loudly but was seated properly in the back of the cage.

  "Yeah he's fine, he's scared is all," Steve told him, "Tony! Come on, let's go!" Steve called and Tony ran down the stairs in his jeans and Captain America tee shirt. Steve rolled his eyes but got everyone out to the car and finally drove to the vet.

  "Well there's wonderful news about this lovely kitten," the vet exclaimed to the trio. Steve looked at her expectantly while Tony munched on a candy bar. "Well it's a girl," the vet started and Steve watched Peter's face go from content to confused.

  "A girl?" Peter asked quietly.

  "We can always adopt a boy kitten if you wanted," Steve said looking to Peter who was sitting on his knee as Steve sat in the only chair in the room. Tony had insisted he sat down, he hadn't quite healed completely from their activities the prior night and the car ride was enough to set him off again.

  "No, I want her," Peter pointed to the kitten on the table mewing for him.

  "We'll think about names later," Steve pushed the hair out of Peter's eyes as he looked at the kitten and then to his dad.

  "So it's a girl, she's completely healthy. She's three months old by the looks of it and she's a Maine Coon Tabby mix," the vet told them.

  "Kit-Kat!" Peter suddenly said which almost startled Steve in to dropping him. "Kit-Kat is her name," Peter was smiling looking up at his dad who was still munching on the Kit-Kat bar. Tony looked down at it and laughed, a smile brought to his face.

  "Kit-Kat it is," Steve nodded smiling at Tony who returned the smile knowingly.

                The vet appointment was a success and soon they were off to a store to look for some cat food and bowls for her.

  "Is she going to be okay?" Peter asked not willing to leave the kitten mewing.

  "She'll be fine, I'm staying to watch her," Tony patted Peter's leg to reassure his son.

  "We won't be too long," Steve told Tony who was going to stay in the car and watch the cat for the two boys.

  "You'd better not be," Tony gave a smirk and wiggled his eyebrows at Steve who just huffed a laugh.

  "Come on Peter, let's go," Steve shut the doors of the car and took the hand of his son and led him into the store. Tony happily watched Steve lead their son, completely enjoying the full view of ass he was getting. As if Steve knew, he turned is head to look back at the car with a knowing smile and Tony almost dropped his jaw for that smile.

  "And this is why I married you Steven Rogers," Tony said to himself and the kitten who had stopped mewing. "You're going to be a little trouble maker aren't you?" Tony looked back at the cage and the kitten looked up at him through sleepy eyes. "Wonder if you like music," he mumbled and turned the stereo on to his favorite station and jammed out to the songs until the duo got back with food, bowls and a little bed for her and a few toys.

                Another hour and Kit-Kat was settled in her new home looking very content in the rec room where Steve had set up her food/water, bed and play things. Peter had been allowed to shuck off his normal chores to play with his new pal.

  "You don't have to like her Tony so stop trying to pretend," Steve told him as they held each other and watched their kid play.

  "I'd like to…for Peter's sake but I…I don't know, I'm just not really a cat person or a dog person…" he trailed off as he enjoyed the light touches from Steve.

  "I know and I'm happy you let him keep her, she'll be the best thing that's happened to him, I promise," Steve whispered in Tony's ear knowing he liked the puff of air.

\--

                The kitten grew and she grew fast, everyday it seemed like she was a pound heavier to Tony. She was a fluffy kitten too but surprisingly she didn't shed that much for being an indoor cat. Peter spent most of his time with the cat now that she could walk all over and get into trouble, of course after he finished his school work and chores if he had any. Since getting the kitten Steve and Tony had seen an improvement in Peter's attitude, not that he needed to change, but everything was better. He did his chores and homework without being told and went to bed without a fuss since he knew that his parents could take Kit-Kat away from him at any point.

  "Shoo," Tony was in the kitchen one morning a month after they had gotten her. She was only four months old but damn she was already huge. "I don't like you, now go away," Tony tried talking to her as he stood in the corner of his kitchen nursing a cup of coffee. Kit-Kat had made her way into the kitchen at the smell of some sort of sustenance, she did love people food. She sat down in front of him and looked up at him.

  "No, don't give me those eyes, stop it!" he warned her and seemingly she understood because her eyes grew wider and greener if possible. "Stop it!" he almost kicked her but he had to stare into those bright green eyes. She had the greenest eyes he had ever seen on anyone and it felt like she was looking right through him.

  "Stop it, I'm not giving you any of my coffee," he told her a little more gently. She gave a hearty meow like it was a scold and he sighed. He knew he was home alone so petting her a little would be okay. He had made it almost his job to stay away from the cat and to not get attached to her.

                So he put his coffee down and crouched down to give her a little pet and to look at her. Her fur was fluffy and very soft to the touch. The little 'M' on her forehead was black and clear indicator she was a Maine Coon Cat, at least she was partly. Her belly was white and golden striped, the gold went up to her chin and stopped at her mouth but there was white around her eyes kind of like eyeliner. Her tail twitched happily when Tony's hand came in contact with her fur.

                Tony soon found the cat coming up to him more often than not and he would give her a little rub or a pat but he'd never pick her up. He tried to pretend he was allergic to cats and turn away but that little devil had an attack plan all set out for getting into Tony Stark's heart, he knew it.

                The first time Kit-Kat had attempted to lay on him was when he was yet again alone in the mansion while Peter was at school and Steve was out at S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ's and he was laying sprawled out on the couch watching TV. CSI was on and he was watching intently and didn't see the little hellion sneak up on him and all in an instant she was up on his chest and he was shrieking like a little girl. He pushed her off and glared down at her as she sat there wondering what she had done wrong.

  "No, you are not getting on me and you are not sleeping next to me and most certain you are not covering my arc reactor," he told the cat firmly but she just sat there patiently like she always did. Tony growled and turned his attention back to the TV, hand at the ready if she tried to jump up again.

                Kit-Kat seemed to know her boundaries and she desperately loved to push at them. Every night for a week she tried unsuccessfully to get onto Tony's lap or on his chest when he was laying down. Steve thought it was the cutest thing ever and gave Tony a look similar to Kit-Kat's begging eyes.

  "Not you too," Tony snapped at him, five days after Kit-Kat's first attempt.

  "What?" Steve played innocent as they laid together on the couch that night. Peter had already gone to sleep and Tony was trying to get Steve in the mood when Kit-Kat rudely interrupted.

  "I am not letting her on me!" Tony defended and looked back down at the cat who was just as patient as she was before.

  "Tony, she's not going to kill you," Steve rubbed his nose just behind Tony's ear where he likes it.

  "But I—"

  "Tony give her a chance," Steve kissed his neck lightly and Tony groaned.

  "Fine but if I happen to freak out because she's sitting on my reactor don't you dare blame me!" Tony warned him when Steve moved to the inside of the couch.

  "Deal, come on Kit-Kat," Steve patted Tony's chest looking down at the kitten but she just looked to Tony instead.

  "Come on, get your ass up here," Tony said himself as he looked down at her. It was only then that she took a graceful leap and landed softly on Tony's stomach. She wanted to knead against him but was also aware of Tony's bare skin beneath her paws.

  "She's such a good girl," Steve smiled and started to pet at her head. Tony stayed silent as he watched the cat now lay on his stomach, she was heavy but nothing compared to Steve. She was warm and she started to purr sending a vibration through Tony's entire body.

  "See, she's not so bad," Steve whispered and kissed Tony's cheek. Tony would never admit that that was the day he really began to pay attention to her.

                As Peter went through his school he met a friend named Wade that Steve and Tony heard quite a bit about and eventually Steve would set up play dates for the two boys. Tony was left with Kit-Kat. Steve would once in a while come home to Tony snoring on the couch with Kit-Kat curled on his chest around the arc reactor. She would open her eyes and look up at him with her big green eyes knowing what was on his mind. She always knew.

                A month and a half later it was the first time that Tony let Kit-Kat into the workshop while he was working. She had been repeatedly scratching at the glass and meowing until Tony couldn't take it anymore, JARVIS was also appreciative when Tony finally let her in. She went right up to him, not taking any moments to scan the new area like cats do, and hopped right into his lap. He laughed and shook his head at her and continued his work.

                Eventually Tony found himself talking to her and sometimes she would respond with a meow, he found patterns in her meow's that really told him she knew what he was talking about. She was patient and intelligent cat that listened to everything. She was starting to get too big to be sleeping on Tony's chest anymore but he didn't really mind when he woke to a fluffy tail sitting on his face.

                Steve watched as Tony took the cat in while Peter was away doing things and really cared for her. He had never seen Tony care for something so deeply other than his family and his Iron Man suit, but of course Kit-Kat was now family.

  "Hey fluffy butt, where are you going?" Tony looked up one day when Kit-Kat was up on the table which was strictly forbidden, he was just more gentle about it now. He picked her up and gave her a kiss to the head and put her back on the floor. She gave an irritated meow but he returned with a stern look. She then sauntered away into the rec room where she had made her home. Tony smiled and shook his head.

                Peter spent less and less time with his cat while Tony was spending more and more time with her, even more than Steve. Tony was almost completely the sole caretaker of his precious cat by the time she was eight months old and almost a full grown cat. Tony even sometimes took her to board meetings with him which Steve hated but Kit-Kat loved. She would sit on Tony's lap and he felt like Doctor Evil from Austin Powers only with a better looking cat as he lounged back in his chair and listened to the chatter as he pet his adoring cat.

  "Mr. Stark we need your input on this before it goes on the market," one of the business men would tell him as he sat there on his phone or petting his cat. Tony would look up to the man with a questioned look and then to Kit-Kat who'd look up at him.

  "What is there to be inputting on? I designed it, why wouldn't the people love it? What do you say Kitty-Kat? Hmm? Think we should put it on the market or—"

  "Mr. Stark you are taking to a cat—"

  "Or," Tony looked up to the man who had spoken with a knowing glare, "or…should we just get rid of it and go right onto the next model?" Tony finished and looked down to his cat. Kit-Kat right into her chattering meow and stood up to face the man who had spoken over Tony and hissed at him. Tony grinned and looked to the man as well.

  "Well looks like the jury has spoken, send it out as fast as you can and if you ever doubt another piece of my tech you will be fired," Tony threatened him which earned a full glare and disappointed look from Pepper. "What?" he asked her softly and she just smacked his arm with a manila folder.

  "That is not your job anymore Tony so just stay put and keep quiet. I don't think Kit-Kat should be coming to any meetings anymore," she whispered as the board continued the meeting.

  "Pepper," Tony pouted and petting his cat affectionately.

  "I'm serious Tony; she's a distraction to not just you but everyone. If I find her in here again I will send her to the pound," Pepper mindlessly threatened as she tried to pay attention to the meeting.

  "Pepper you wouldn't do that, this is my son's cat and she's part of our family now," he told her, even as he said it he could feel Kit-Kat's purr start up and he knew this was it. She was family, she was practically another child and he could live with that, even liked having another small being to take care of.

  "No, I won't but you need to stop bringing her, she's a cat and she doesn't belong here," Pepper hissed back quietly and Tony smiled to Kit-Kat who looked up at him; green eyes sparkling with mischief. Tony gave her a little nod and the cat got up to walk to Pepper's perfectly ironed dress suit skirt. She would have made more noise but she didn't want to lose her composure and disrupt the board again like Tony had so many times. She glared to Tony and he just smiled and gave a wink.

\--

  "I don't get it, somehow she has wedged herself in the cockles of my heart and I don't know how I feel about that," Tony said one night when he was snuggled into Steve's hold as he pet the cat laying in front of him.

  "She's done it to all of us, she's a great cat and she's done wonders to all our attitudes I must say," Steve smiled into Tony's hair knowing she had directly affected Tony the most.

  "You know what I hate?" Tony asked turning his head to his husband to get a kiss.

  "What?" Steve asked.

  "I want to ride you so bad right now but I can't with her in the room let alone the bed!" Tony exclaimed and Steve laughed, "It's like she our second kid," Tony finished as he turned completely to face Captain America.

  "She basically is, we could always shoo her out," Steve's voice was getting quiet and distracted as he kissed Tony's bare shoulder and up to his neck.

  "I couldn't…she's just—" Tony looked back over his shoulder to see the cat contently sleeping, "She's so peaceful," he finished and Steve chuckled, continuing his kisses. "Steve—mfph—" Tony turned into a completely opened mouthed kiss and relished in it. Steve's enthusiastic and ever improving kisses would never grow old for Tony. Steve pulled at Tony's hip and he found himself sitting on Steve's lap. Steve pulled up his knees to allow a cradle for Tony and they both stopped when they suddenly heard soft paws hitting the floor. They both looked up to see Kit-Kat gracefully walking out of the room, tail high in the air with the end crooked. Tony looked back to Steve who laughed full heartedly.

  "JARVIS, the door please," Tony said and JARVIS replied by closing the door.

\--

                Tony knew it was inevitable but never in a million years would he think that it would happen only a little after a year. Tony woke to an empty bed, he just was suddenly up when he felt something wasn't quite right. He knew Steve had gotten Peter out for school who was now successfully in First Grade, and Steve was probably out for his usual run. But something just made Tony wake up suddenly and that didn't normally happen.

                So Tony carefully swung his legs to the edge of the bed feeling just how sore his backside was. He got up slowly minding his legs and put some boxers on but he felt the odd need to completely dress himself. So he picked out some jeans and pulled a tee shirt over himself.

                One of the first things Tony noticed was the rain, and there was a lot of it. He wondered if Steve actually went for his run or was he just in the gym?

  "JARVIS did Steve go out for his run this morning?" Tony asked his AI.

  "Yes sir, he was not counting on the storm traveling so quickly," JARVIS replied seemingly the rain had dampened the AI's mood.

  "Okay," Tony went to find coffee brewed and still warm. He sighed happily with the cup of coffee and figured he should eat some sort of breakfast since he had planned on working in his workshop for most of the day. He grabbed a bowl of Cheerios and sat at the table in the middle of the kitchen and started to eat the milk infused cereal. It was only when he was almost finished that he realized what was missing.

  "Kit-Kat?" he stood up instantly and looked around, "Fluffernutter where are you?" Tony called around and went into the rec room. He looked into the little playhouse but she wasn't there, her food hadn't been touch in what looked like two days. Tony's mind raced as he came up with scenarios for his missing cat. He began to search more frantically than he had been.

  "Kit-Kat!" he almost screamed through the house, he had tried asking JARVIS where she was but he said he also couldn't find her. Tony started to look in places were JARVIS's camera's couldn't see; like under Peter's bed or in his closet, in cabinets and finally under his own bed. He almost sobbed at the lump that was under there, he was able to grab her scruff and pull her out on the wood. She looked horrible but she was breathing. Tony did the only thing he could think to do right now; he got in the car with her and drove her to the vet.

  "Tony?" Steve picked up his phone that he always had with him.

  "Where are you?" Tony asked and Steve instantly picked up on the shake in his voice and the urgency.

  "I'm half a block from that 24 hour mart you like," he replied from under a bus stop trying not to get wet. He had been able to get into the shelter just as the rain started to pour only half an hour ago.

  "That's a block from the vet right?" Tony asked narrowly missing another vehicle as he sped around a corner.

  "Yes, Tony what's wrong?" Steve asked worried for him.

  "It's Kit-Kat, I don't know what's wrong, I found her under our bed. She's breathing but—Steve I don't know what's wrong with her!" Tony was already crying at the sight of the wheezing cat in the seat next to him.

  "Tony, calm down, she's going to be alright. Are you already driving?" Steve asked already running towards the vet's office.

  "Yes," Tony tried not to sound too pathetic but it didn't help.

  "I'll meet you there, don't get into an accident, watch where you're going and I'll meet you there okay?" Steve was running as fast as his legs could take him.

  "Okay," Tony whispered to his husband as he narrowly missed another vehicle. Steve hung up on him and focused on his running.

                Tony could have watched everything happen in slow motion; he arrived at the vet's office and ran into the building holding onto Kit-Kat. He could barely remember telling them what was wrong but they instantly took her and didn't permit him into the room. He remembers pacing and he remembers swearing as the minutes ticked by. The receptionist was trying to calm him down but he didn't need her, he needed his girl, his Kit-Kat.

                The news came like a blow to his gut then to the back of his knees and then to the bridge of his nose to leave him gasping. It was in that instant that Steve came busting through the door completely soaked from the rain.

  "Is she?" Steve stopped his question when he saw his husband. Tony's hearing came back all at once as Steve pulled him into a crushing hug, mostly so that Tony didn't fall over. "Tony I'm so sorry," Steve repeated into Tony's hair and kissed it lightly. The way Tony shook was just so horrifying to Steve, they needed to get home pronto.

                The vets had been kind enough to put Kit-Kat in a box so that they could bury her themselves, Steve paid the co-pay with Tony's card because the billionaire couldn't even take his face out of Steve's damp shirt without balling his eyes out. But soon they were home; the silent ride home was torture for both of them.

  "Tony," was all Steve had to say and Tony tell out a fresh batch of new tears as he slowly sunk to the floor. Steve was quick enough to pull Tony to him and sit down with crossed legs so Tony could sit in the cradle.

  "I couldn't do anything! S—she just, she—" Tony tried to get it out but Steve already knew what he was trying to say. It was a few more moments when Steve himself let his tears out for their beloved kitten.

  "Tony, quiet, just…stop," Steve rubbed his back and shut his eyes when Tony went quite for a few seconds, not for long though.

  "She can't be gone," Tony whispered still balling his eyes out ridiculously.

  "Tony," Steve shook his head and touched Tony anywhere that he could.

  "This—this is why…I can fix Dummy or Butterfingers or JARVIS but I can't—I couldn't help—"

  "Tony shut up right now!" Steve raised his voice at the billionaire sitting in his lap. "You can fix robots, you can fix machines but you can't fix…humans, Tony. You can't fix them and you can't fix animals, it's a—a part of life so just…just stop," Steve's voice was gentle again by the time he finished the sentence. Tony stayed quiet and not because he wanted to but because he couldn't form words anymore. It was the equivalent to getting a good fuck; he couldn't talk properly but this felt completely opposite of a good fuck. Now that he had that idea in his head he found himself rolling his hips slightly against Steve's who also didn't realize it until Tony kissed his neck.

  "Tony no," Steve whispered as he cleared away his own tears.

  "Please Steve, please I—I need to…forget—I need you—" Tony couldn't remember the last time he had stuttered like this.

  "Tony not like this, please don't make me," Steve begged him. Tony was used to Steve begging or not begging, it really didn't make a difference on his part but he had never heard Steve ask that question before and it threw Tony off. "Jarvis," Steve's voice was starting to crack as Tony stilled his body and just let himself go again.

  "Yes, sir?" Jarvis replied.

  "Play that playlist I made a few days ago?" Steve asked quietly and Jarvis quietly obliged. Tony recognized the songs immediately as songs from their wedding and he couldn't help the breathless chuckle he let out.

  "You—you, this is why I married you," Tony said quietly and pulled away to see Steve's face littered with tears. Steve had to smile as he lightly kissed his husband. "I love you."

  "I love you too Tony, dance with me?" Steve asked and Tony nodded although not sure how his body was going to react after a good solid ten minutes of drowning himself with tears. But with Steve's help they were able to collect themselves and move to the middle of the rec room and slow dance in each other's hold. Steve quickly hummed with the music as he led Tony around the floor and Tony sighed as he closed his eyes.

                Tony realized that even though Kit-Kat's death was terrible and a horrible experience on his part, that he still had his family and that was enough to deal with this. Steve later informed Peter about the passing when he got home from school. Steve hadn't expected Peter to fully understand but he showed that he did when he went right up to Tony and hugged him. Tony picked up Peter in his arms and held him tightly—half from need since he was a growing boy and half from love.

  "I love you daddy."

  "I love you too Sport," Tony smiled against his son's hair.


End file.
